Day 17 - to Rabanal del Camino

On foot today by about 5:45, and just on the edge of Astorga, one of the bars was just opening up. The decision to stop right then and have a coffee, before working for it even, was yet again a wise decision (we've been making a few of those, surprising as that may sound). As we were finishing up our cafe con leche, it started to sprinkle. Because of the tables and chairs, it was easy to haul out the rain gear (well easier than dropping our packs on the path and rummaging about in them) and we were off again, rain, not pouring, but rain, and a biting wind. The rain didn't last long but the wind was our constant companion for the day.

It was enough to make us stop for another coffee, like we needed an excuse, at next town, only 4 km but with the head wind, it was almost an hour. Leaving Murias de Rechivaldo, the vista that presented itself was breathtaking. Those clouds shrouding the mountain top did come visit us later in the morning.

Clouds crowning the distant mountain - had to stop, pull out the iPad and share it!

Onward and onward, as has become our motto...9 km to El Ganso and the infamous Cowboy Bar.

It may be that where you see a horse you'll see Barb, but where you see a cowboy bar, well, that's where you can find me, this time, that's where you could find both of us.

Just after this wee stop, it started to sprinkle again, nothing serious, but on went the ponchos anyway. Not so much the rain, but, while not hurricane winds, we were certainly walking into a gale-force headwind. It made the rest of the day's walk tiring, although we did get a break on one part of the trail that was deep in trees, but, just so you know that it wasn't easy going, the walking surface was packed dirt littered with roots and rocks, to the point that if you wanted to look around, you had to stop, and not risk an ankle!

Arriving in Rabanal it was a STEEP walk up through town to the albergue, but so worth it...just truly beautiful. We had a bit of a wait before the albergue opened, and sitting in the sunshine, who walks past, Pasquale and Marlone...our Italian pals who we've hopscotched with for the last few days. 

Our Italian friends...likely the last time we'll see them as they were cracking on hoping to put another 10 km behind them. Barb says now we have 6 reasons to visit Italy!

A few pix of the town and the albergue. Bone weary,  we sat in front of the roaring fire that Stewart lit for us, and thawed out a bit before we could face even a shower.

The albergue garden